Shelf construction



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F. L. SHELOR 3,102,499

SHELF CONSTRUCTION Filed March 9, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG- X (D l .3 i ,7

CU -Q O a INVENTOR :8 $3 FRED L,SHELOR d NW m (\I N N M BY 7 2 ATTORNEY Sept. 3, 1963 F. 1.. SHELOR 9 SHELF CONSTRUCTION Filed March 9, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 30b 26 40a: 28b

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,102,499 SHELF CUNSTRUCTHQN Fred L. Shelor, m9 llongstreet Ave Highland Eprings, Richmond, Va. Filed Mar. 9, 1962, Ser. No. 173,659 Claims. (Cl. 108-28) This invention relates to improvements in shelf construction, and more particularly to an improved shelf and mounting bracket assemblage intended primarily, although not exclusively so, for use in stores and like establishments for exhibiting merchandise and the like on shelves.

Broadly stated, principal objects of the present invention are the provision of a shelf and bracket assemblage for use as aforesaid, which is characterized by simple and inexpensive yet thoroughly dependable construction and by a design which greatly facilitates assembly of the shelf panels to the brackets providing the support therefor.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a shelf and bracket construction which is as equally capable and effective in securing shelf panels in inclined position as in securing said panels in the horizontal position.

A more specific object of the invention is the provision of a shelf and bracket construction or assemblage wherein the shelf component thereof, which may be a panel made of fiberboard or so-called peg-board material, is provided along its front edge and preferably also its rear edge with protective molding strips, and wherein the front-edge molding strip in particular is a structural member capable of providing substantial structural strength to the front edge portion of the shelf panel.

Yet another object of the invention is the provision of a shelf and bracket construction, characterized in that the shelf panel is secured to the front end of its supporting bracket by means of a molding strip extending along its front edge and said molding strip and supporting bracket cooperate one with the other in such a way that load placed on the shelf panel effects tensioning of the molding strip in direction and manner as to increase the security of connection of said strip and thereby the shelf panel as a whole to the supporting bracket.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a shelf and bracket assembly wherein the Width of the shelf is predetermined with respect to the depth of pro jection of the supporting bracket from its vertical support, being such that load placed on the shelf results in the bracket being also placed under outward tension sufiicient to prevent undesirable side-to-side swinging movement of the bracket and shelf panel supported thereon.

The above and other objects and features of advantage of a shelf and bracket construction according to the present invention will appear from the following detailed descniption of preferred physical forms thereof, in which reference is had to the accompanyingillustrative drawin gs, wherein FIG. 1 is a broken-away partial perspective'view of a shelf and bracket construction according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is an end view, partly in section, looking at one end of the shelf and bracket construction shown in H6. 1 which indicates by arrows how the load placed on the shelf results in its front-edge molding strip being placed under tension, thus adding to the security of the connection of said molding strip to the front end of the bracket;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary detail view illustrating the manner of hooking the shelf panel to the bracket in the initial stage of assembly of said parts and, conversely, of disengaging or unhooking the shelf panel from the bracket when disassembly of the parts is to be effected;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2, but on a reduced scale, which illustrates the efiic-acy of the shelf-to-bracket connection according to the invention in securing and supporting a shelf panel in an inclined rather than in the more conventional horizontal position, when such may be called for by the requirements of a particular installation; and

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but illustrating a somewhat different means than that shown in. FIGS. 1 and 2 for placing the front-edge molding strip under tension when the shelf is loaded.

Referring to the drawings in detail, a shelf and bracket construction or' assemhlage according to the present invention comprises two basic parts, namely, a shelf panel designated 16} and a shelf-supporting bracket 12, it being of course understood that bracket in the singular form is intended to designate and include the number of identical brackets which are used to support said shelf panel at spaced intervals along its length. As is usual, the bracket 12 extends forwardly from a supporting member generally indicated at 14, which may be in the nature of an upright box-section tubular member aflixed to a structural wall, or it may comprise the wall itself, to which it is secured by appropriate means. Illustratively, the bracket is secured at its rear end to said upright member or wall by means of a pair of downwardly facing hooks 16a, 15b which are adapted to be inserted in a selected pair of slot-like openings 18a, 18b provided in the upright member or wall, over whose lower edges said hooks are adapted to engage, thus to secure said bracket so that it projects outwardly from said supporting member or wall as a rigid shelf-member support.

According to the invention, the shelf panel is provided along its front edge with a specially constructed molding strip generally designated 20 which, as will hereinafter more. fully appear, performs the manifold functions of protecting the forward edge of the shelf panel against unsightly marring or chipping in use, of providing structural strength to the shelf panel along and throughout its forward edge portion, of providing a means for mounting price or identification tags forwardly of the shelf panel proper for indicating the price or other identifying properties or characteristics of the merchandise or article being exhibited on the shelves, and finally, and most importantly, of lockably securing the shelf panel 10 to the bracket 12,,yet in manner as permits easy assembly and disassembly of said parts.

To enable the molding strip to perform the first of its aforesaid edge protecting, panel reinforcing and price-tag holding functions, it is provided in its upper portion with a channel 22 which opens through its rearward side face and is dimensioned to snugly yet freely receive the front edge of the shelf panel 10. Preferably, the molding strip is positively engaged with the front edge of said panel.

by means of a tongue, and groove connection, such comprising a tongue 24a formed on the upper side Wall of the channel to extend thereinto, and a receiving groove 24b for said tongue provided in the upper face of the shelf panel ll). Thus, the molding strip 20 can be applied and thereupon effectively locked to the front edge of the shelf panel simply by telescoping one on the other, whereupon the molding strip is secured in protective relation to the panel edge and so that its body portion depends downwardly therefrom.

To provide for price or identification tag mounting, the relatively front side of the molding strip body portion is formed concave as at 26 and said concave surface is edged top and bottom by the overhanging lips 28o,

28b which, in concert with said concave front surface, define a track for price-tags or the equivalent which may be slid along the molding strip to a desired position in front of merchandise or articles positioned on the shelf panel to which the information carried by the tags applies.

As will be seen in all views of the drawings, the body portion of the molding strip Ztl has substantial width and height and accordingly, when it is secured to the front edge of the shelf panel 10, said molding strip proi simply hooked on to the forward end of the bracket and thenswung to a horizontal (or less than horizontal) positionthereon with what, for convenience, may be termed a hinging section. More particularly, the bracket 12 which extends as a rigid cantilever from the supporting member 14 to which its rearward end is secured, is formed with a front or nose end whose upper-forward edge 301; extends along an approximately 90 vertical-to-horizontal arc of radius R-l struck from a center lying within a notch or recess, 32 formed in its under edge rearwardly of its lower nose-end edge 3012, which is preferably a straight edge. As best seen in FIG. 3, said underedge recess 32 is defined in part by a downwardly facing bottom edge 32a and a rearwardly facing, shoulder-forming side edge 32b, and preferably the center from which the arcuate end edge 30a of the bracketis struck lies at a point disposed a small distance downwardly-rearwardly from the corner defined by said recess edges 32a, 32b.

Reverting to the molding strip 20, such is configured to complement and coact with the arcuately formed front end 30 of the bracket and its under edge recess 32 in manner generally similar with that in which hook-on hinge members complement and coact with one another. Accordingly, the body portion of the molding strip is formed with a longitudinal groove 4t) disposed to open through itsrear side face and which in transverse crosssectional configuration is a substantial replica of the end-30 of the bracket 12 when the latter is viewed in side. elevation. More particularly, the groove is defined by a rearwardly facing, approximately 90 verticalto-horizon-tal arcuate surface 40a having radius substantially equal to the aforesaid radius R-1, and which connects atits forward end to a rearwardly extending, straight wall surface 40b extending to a small-height vertical rear wall surface 400 comprising the inner wall surface of a small-height vertical wall 42 extending upwardly from theloWer-rear corner of the molding strip as a longitudinal flange and whose top edge defines the lower edge line of the groove opening.. The height of said vertical wall or flangev42, as measured from the straight bottom wall 40b, of the groove, corresponds substantially to the depth of, the under edge recess 32 of the bracket end, and its top edge is preferably radiused about a center which coincides, when said flange is hookingly engaged in the corner defined by the recess edges 32a, 32b with the center from FIG. .3, into position such that the rounded top edge of the short wall (flange) 42 below the groove 40 hookingly engages in the corner between the edges 32a, 32b of the under-edge bracket recess 32 and that the lower edge portion of the bracket nose adjacent its edge 30b extends a small distance into the mouth end of the molding strip groove 4% Thereupon, with the rounded nose end 30 of the bracket now functioning as a hinge pintle, the panel may be swung in clockwise direction to a substantially horizontal position wherein it derives its support from the bracket.

It is a special feature of the invention that during the entire course of this swinging or hinging movement of the shelf panel 10, its front edge is positively locked to the forward or nose end of the bracket, since it is impossible to disengage the molding strip from the bracket except when said parts are in their relative positions shown 7 in FIG. 3. Accordingly, the shelf panel-to-bracket scouring means of the invention may be used to good advantage in shelf construction of the type shown in FIG. 4 wherein, rather than having a horizontal or substantially horizontal position as in FIGS. 1 and 2, for example, the shelf panel is to be maintained in an inclined position, so as to better exhibit a particular piece or line of merchandise. Such requires a bracket having an inclination suited to that desired for the shelf panel, and such may be provided by a bracket of the type shown in FIG. 4. Preferably, such a bracket is made up in two bracket parts pivotally connected to one another as by a pivot pin 120, of which the forward part 1211, to which the shelf panel and its front-edge molding strip secures, may be angled and held in to a desired inclination with respect to the relatively fixed rear part 24912, which latter is shown to be secured to an upright supporting member 14a corresponding generally to the previously described supporting member 14, by suitable means such as an embossment 12d formed in said rear part which seats in one of a series of arcuately arranged dimples or depressions (not shown) provided in the rear end portion of the forward bracket part.

Preferably, the shelf panel 10 is also protected and strengthened along its rearward edge by a molding strip 50, which is positively secured to the shelf rear edge by a tongue and slot connection Sim-59b corresponding in all substantial respects to the tongue and groove connection 24a, 24b by which the front-edge molding strip is secured to the shelf front edge. Illustratively, the rearedge molding strip is formed with an upright extension flange 54 whose rearward face provides a substantial bearing area and further provides structural reinforcement and stiffness to the shelf panel rear-edge portion.

According to a further feature of the invention, the constructionof the mating bracket nose and front-edge j molding strip is such as to positively prevent swinging movement of the shelf panel 10 past the horizontal plane, whereas the bracket top-edge, which is of course its shelf supporting edge, is so formed as to provide a small amount of spacing between the under face of the shelf panel along its rear edge portion and the upper edge of the bracket along its corresponding rearward end portion. i More particularly, this spacing between the rear edge portion of the shelf panel and upper edge of the bracket along its rearward portion is provided in the FIGS; 1 and 2 modification by forming said upper edge with a small downward-rearward inclination. Alternatively, the spacing between the [rear edge portion of the panel and upper bracket edge may be provided by the means shown in FIG. 5 which comprises a small hump 12X formed at the forward portion of said edge which functions similar to the doWnWardly-reanwardly inclined top edge of the bracket in providing a small amount of spacing between the panel rear-edge portion and the top edge of the bracket adjacent its rear end. In both cases, the weight of the articles or merchandise placed on the shelf panel will tend to cause its rearward edge portion to lower slightly past the horizontal, asis indicated by the load indicating arrow L struck from the radius R-Z shown in FIG. 2. However, since the front-edge molding strip 20 does not permit corresponding swinging motion of the forward edge portion of the shelf portion, the practical effect of loading of the shelf panel is that the front edge molding 20 is placed in tension which causes, it to attach more securely to the nose end 30 of the bracket 12.

According to yet another feature of the invention, the effective width of the shelf panel in relation to the distance between the forward surface of the supporting member 14 and the point of shelf panel-to-bracket end connection is such that when the shelf is loaded, the weight of the merchandise places the bracket 12 under outward tension sufficient to prevent any side-to-side motionof the shelf panel and its supporting bracket or brackets 12 with respect to the upright supporting member 14 therefor. In explanation, it is contemplated that the width of the shelf panel 10 together with its attached rear-edge molding strip 50 will be slightly in excess of thedistance between the point or line of securernent of the front edge of the shelf panel to the front end 30 of the bracket 12 and the forward surface of the upright supporting member 14. Thus, when the shelf settles to its final position under the weight of the merchandise placed thereon, it is in effect placed in compression in its own plane, and this in turn places the supporting bracket 12 under outward tension. Such, tensioning of the bracket, while small, is nevertheless effective to prevent any side-to-side or sway motion of the bracket and shelf panel mounted thereon with respect to the supporting member '14.

Without further analysis, it will be appreciated that the shelf and bracket construction according to the present invention achieves the objectives of the invention outlined in the foregoing in simple yet effective manner. More particularly, the invention offers a shelf and bracket assemblage of extremely simple and inexpensive construction and at the same time provides a construction in which the shelf panel and bracket parts may be assembled and disassembled with ease and facility. The construction and design of .the front-edge molding strip carried bythe shelf panel are further such as to enable same not only to rotect the front panel edge but also to strengthen and reinforce the entire front-edge portion of the panel, to furthermore serve as a price-tag carrying means and finally, and most importantly, to provide a shelf-to-bracket hinge of a type enabling simple and speedy assembly and disassembly of the shelf member to and from the forward edge of the bracket, while at the same time cooperating with the front or nose end of the bracket in providing a secure and dependable connection between the shelf panel and bracket parts of the assembly.

However, since many changes could be made in carrying out the above constructions without departing from the scope and/or underlying principle of the invention as disclosed herein, it is intended that all matter con tained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. i

I claim:

1. Shelf construction comprising a shelf member, a supporting bracket therefor, means for attaching the rearward end of the bracket to upright supporting means therefor so that it extends forwardly from said supporting means as a rigid shelf-supporting member, and coacting means on the forward edge of the shelf member and the forward end of the bracket, respectively, for lockingly engaging said shelf member with the bracket while perrnitting said shelf member to swing bodily about the said forward end to a supported position on said bracket, said coacting means including a hook formation on the forward edge of the shelf member and a hook receiving under-edge recess adjacent the forward end of the bracket which is defined in part by a rearwardly facing surface against which said hook formation engages, and complemental arcuate surfaces on both .said front end of the bracket and said forward edge of the shelf member for holding said hook formation against said rearwardly facmation with said surface.

2. Shelf construction comprising a shelf member, a supporting bracket therefor, means for attaching the rearward end of the bracket to upright supporting means therefor so that it extends forwardly from said supporting means as a rigid shelf supporting member, a longitudinally extending molding strip aflixed to and enclosing the forward edge of the shelf member and having a depending body portion provided with a groove opening through its rearward side beneath said shelf member, the forward end of the bracket extending into said groove, and said groove and forward end of the bracket memher being so complementally configured as to enable said shelf member, upon the latter being disposed substantially vertically and with its forward edge in general alignment therewith, to be first hookably connected, to said forward end of the bracket responsive to relative movement of said forward end of. the bracket into said groove and thereupon swung downwardly-rearwardly to a supported position on said bracket.

3. Shelf construction comprising a shelf member, a supporting bracket therefor, means for attaching the rear Ward end of the bracket to upright supporting means therefor so that it extends forwardly from said supporting means as "a rigid shelf supporting member, a longitudinally extending molding strip ailixed to and enclosing the forward edge of the shelf member and having a depending body portion provided with a groove opening through its rearward side face beneath said shelf member, the forward end of the bracket extending into said groove, the walls of the groove and said forward end of the bracket having coactive hook and shoulder means and interfitting arcuate surfaces, said last means and said arcuate surfaces enabling shelf member-to-bracket assembly by firstdisposing the shelf member in substantially vertical position and withits forward edge in general alignrnent with the forward end of said bracket, then initially engaging the hook and shoulder means and said interfitting arcuate surfaces and finally bodily swinging the shelf rearwardly-downwardly to an overlying supported position on said bracket.

4. Shelf construction comprising a shelf member, a supporting bracket therefor, means for attaching the rearward end of the bracket to upright supporting means therefor so that it extends forwardly from said supporting means as a rigid shelf supporting member, a longitudinally extending molding strip having in its upper portion a rearwardly facing channel in which the forward edge of the shelf member is lockingly received and a depending body portion provided with a groove opening through its rearward side face beneath said shelf member, the forward end of the bracket projecting into said groove,

said body portion adjacent said groove and the groove defining surfaces of said body portion and the forward end and adjacent under-edge surfaces of the bracket being so "complementally configured as permits said molding strip and thereby the shelf member to be assembled to the bracket by first disposing the shelf member in substantially vertical position and at a level such that said molding strip is in general alignment with the forward end of the-bracket, then hookingly engaging the molding strip to the under-edge surface of the bracket and finally swinging the shelf member downwardly-rearwardly to an overlying supported position on the bracket.

5. Shelf construction comprising a shelf member, a"

said groove comprising the top edge of a small-height rear side wall extending upwardly from the floor line of the groove as an upright flange, the underside edge of the bracket rearwardly of the front-end edge thereof having a recess whose forward side edge defines a rearwardly facing shoulder, said front-end edge of the bracket and the rearwardly facing wall surface .of said groove being complementally curved, the construction and arrangement being such that the shelf member can be assembled to the bracket by first, with the shelf member held substantially vertically, hookingly engaging the top edge of said molding-strip flange against said underedge bracket shoulder and then bodily swinging the shelf member to an overlying supported position on said bracket.

6. Shelf construction comprising a shelf member, a supporting bracket therefor, means for attaching the rearward end of the'bracket to upright supporting means there-for so that it extends forwardly from said supporting means as a rigid shelf supporting member, a longitudinally extending molding strip having a rearwardly opening channel in the upper portion in which the forward edge of the shelf member is lockingly received and a depending body portion. having a groove also opening rearwardly, said groove being definedby a rearwardly facing arcuate wall surface extending throughout a vertical-to-horizontal arc of approximately 90, a horizontal bottom wall surface and a small-height front wall surface formed by the inner side of a small-height rear side wall extending upwardly from the floor line of the groove as an upright flange and whose upper edge surface defines the lower edge of the groove opening, the front end edge and the adjacent underside edge of the bracket being shaped complementally to said groove and flange, whereby said molding strip with shelf member attached imay, following initial engagement of molding strip and bracket end, be swung throughout a substantial arc to a position in which said shelf member overlies and is supported. on said bracket.

7. Shelf construction according to claim 2,, wherein said molding strip includes a forwardside face provided with price-tag holding means.

8. Shelf construction according to claim 2, wherein the fonward side face of the molding strip is formed as a longitudinal track for price tags and the like applying to articles placed on the shelf member.

9. Shelf construction comprising a shelf member, a

" supporting bracket therefor, means for attaching the rearward end of the bracket to upright supporting means therefor so that it extends forwardly from said supporting means as a rigid shelf-supporting member, and coacting means on the forward edge of the. shelf member and the forward end of the bracket, respectively, for lockingly engaging said shelf member with the bracket while perp itting said shelf member to swing bodily about the said forward end to a supported position on'said bracket, said bracket being provided with an upper shelf-member supporting edge, constructed and arranged as normally to provide limited spacing between its rearward portion and the corresponding rearward under-face portion of I the shelf member, lwhereby load placed on at least the rearward portion of the shelf member tends to depress said rearward portion and thereby cause the forward edge of the shelf member to hold more securely to the forward end of the bracket.

10. Shelf construction according to claim 2, wherein the rearward edge of the shelf member is provided with a molding strip lockingly engaged therewith, and the effective width of the shelf member including its frontand rear-edge molding strips is slightly in excess of the distance between its point of connection with the forward end of the bracket and the forward surface of said upright supporting means whereby load applied to the shelf member tends to compress it into the space between said point of connection and said supporting means which in turn imparts a reactive force'inoutward direction .to the bracket.

12. Shelf construction according to claim 2, which the bracket has an upper shelf-member supporting edge whose rearward portion falls away from the rearward underface portion of the shelf member, the rear-ward edge of the shelf member carrying a molding strip having interfitting engagement therewith, and wherein the effective width of the shelf member including its frontand rearedge molding strips is slightly in excess of the distance between its point of connection with the forward end of the bracket and the forward surface of said upright supporting member, the construction and arrangement being such that load placed on said shelf member tends to cause its rearward portion to lower against said rearward edge portion of the bracket and to be compressed into the space between said point of connection and said supporting means, as in turn tensions said bracket in outward direction.

13. A shelf-edge molding comprising an elongated metal strip which in transverse section is provided with an upper portion having a relatively rearwardly opening channel anda depending body portion having a groove also opening in relatively rearward direction, said groove being defined by a rearwardly-facing 'arcuate wall surface extending thruout a substantially vertical-to-horizontal arc of approximately 90, a horizontal bottom wall surface serving as the floor of the groove, and a small hei-ght wall surface extending vertically upwardly Y a short distance from the rear end of said bottom-wall surface, saidsmall-height vertical-wall surface being the relatively inner face ofa low-height wall extending upwardly from the fioor line of the groove and whose upper edge defines the bottom line of the groove mouth.

14. A shelf-edge molding according to claim 13, wherein the forward side face of the body portion is concave and is provided top and bottom with facing lips which define with said concave surface a price-tag retaining track.

15. A bracket of the character described comprising a rigid bracket member having bracket attaching means at its rearward end and terminating at its forward end in an arcuate nose which extends along a substantially vertical-to-horizontal arc of approximately the under edge of the bracket forward end being provided with a downwardly opening notch which is set back rearwardly a small distance from the most for-ward portion of said arcuate nose and is defined in part by forward and bottom edges, said forward edge of the notch defining an abrupt rearwardly facing surface with which an angled member may be engaged.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,702,937

France-.. Feb. 16, 1959 

1. SHELF CONSTRUCTION COMPRISING A SHELF MEMBER, A SUPPORTING BRACKET THEREFOR, MEANS FOR ATTACHING THE REARWARD END OF THE BRACKET TO UPRIGHT SUPPORTING MEANS THEREFOR SO THAT IT EXTENDS FORWARDLY FROM SAID SUPPORTING MEANS AS A RIGID SHELF-SUPPORTING MEMBER, AND COACTING MEANS ON THE FORWARD EDGE OF THE SHELF MEMBER AND THE FORWARD END OF THE BRACKET, RESPECTIVELY, FOR LOCKINGLY ENGAGING SAID SHELF MEMBER WITH THE BRACKET WHILE PERMITTING SAID SHELF MEMBER TO SWING BODILY ABOUT THE SAID FORWARD END TO A SUPPORTED POSITION ON SAID BRACKET, SAID COACTING MEANS INCLUDING A HOOK FORMATION ON THE FORWARD EDGE OF THE SHELF MEMBER AND A HOOK RECEIVING UNDER-EDGE RECESS ADJACENT THE FORWARD END OF THE BRACKET WHICH IS DEFINED IN PART BY A REARWARDLY FACING SURFACE AGAINST WHICH SAID HOOK FORMATION ENGAGES, AND COMPLEMENTAL ARCUATE SURFACES ON BOTH SAID FRONT END OF THE BRACKET AND SAID FORWARD EDGE OF THE SHELF MEMBER FOR HOLDING SAID HOOK FORMATION AGAINST SAID REARWARDLY FACING SURFACE FOLLOWING INITIAL ENGAGEMENT OF THE HOOK FORMATION WITH SAID SURFACE. 